Avro Manchester, Lancaster, Lancastrian, Lincoln, Shackleton

[GTX]

Some more info I've found for you:



Regards,

Greg

[Mossie]

Thanks Greg, they're really useful.   

[kitnut617]

Yes, very useful Greg, where did you find those? I've been looking for ages and there's nothing even in the Crowood Publications book on the Shackleton.

Are there any pics from that source showing the bodywork of the cowlings?

[GTX]

Yes, very useful Greg, where did you find those? I've been looking for ages and there's nothing even in the Crowood Publications book on the Shackleton.

Are there any pics from that source showing the bodywork of the cowlings?

From this:

I'm afraid all that you see is what there was.

Regards,

Greg

[kitbasher]

During WW2 only a few countries flew Lancasters -- Britain (with crews from UK, Canada, Australia & Sth Africa), Canada itself, Russia (three) and Germany (one aircraft).

My late Uncle Bill did a tour as a tail gunner on 550 Sqn (one sortie in 'Phantom of the Rhur' to boot - I have his log book) and his crew was headed up by an American pilot (USAAF).  A rarity made even rarer by the fact that Flight Officer Fauman was an NCO pilot.  There's a pic of that particular crew in the 'Ton Up Lancasters' book.

[GTX]

I understand the Lancaster bomb-bay was designed around being able to carry a couple of torpedoes - has anyone modelled one loaded as such?

Regards,

Greg

[The Wooksta!]

Not as far as I know but then the idea of using such a large aircraft to attack shipping at torpedo dropping height is utterly ludicrous, if not downright suicidal.

[kitnut617]

I think you'll find the idea manifested during the design of the twin engined version, the Manchester.  It of course being a smaller wing-spanned aircraft and not much bigger than some of the oppositions twin engined torpedo bombers.

[The Wooksta!]

Even so, the Manchester is still a pretty big aircraft.

Hmmn, a Centaurus engined one with a pair of torpedoes and all the mods for the Lancaster - ie Lancaster turrets and fins - in Coastal Command colours and Warwick squadron markings could look rather good.

Still think it's suicidal though...

[rickshaw]

Wellingtons, which are not much smaller than a Manchester were used operationally as Torpedo Bombers, while the Japanese made extensive use of their medium/heavy bombers as torpedo aircraft.

[GTX]

the idea of using such a large aircraft to attack shipping at torpedo dropping height is utterly ludicrous

It will fit in well here then?

Actually, I probably like the idea of a modified Manchester doing it.

Regards,

Greg

[jcf]

Wellington Twin-Torp setup for reference.

[GTX]

What about a Manchester with twin (or perhaps three) Bristol Hercules radials or even Centaurus?

Regards,

Greg

[jcf]

Two and four Hercules were proposed early on for the Type 679 design.

The Manchester II was proposed with either two 2,100 hp Napier Sabre I or 2,500 hp Bristol Centaurus.

Dwgs from 21st Profile, Vol.1 No. 6.

Jon

[alertken]

The reason it was not thought suicidal was the same as putting slow Stringbags on the very expensive Illustrii. RN Admirals, 1934-ish, did not believe, either that aeroplanes could find, then drop bombs on vessels, or that shipborne AAA (manned, remember, not as an established trade, but by stewards &tc not otherwise tasked at Action Stations) could hit anything. Torpedoes rule, OK.